Moscow endures snowiest winter in 100 years

Moscow, Feb 5 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The Russian capital has not witnessed such a snowy winter in the past 100 years, Deputy Mayor Pyotr Biryukov said Tuesday after heavy snowfall hit the city Monday night.

"This is the snowiest winter in 100 years," Biryukov said.

He said 216 cm of snow blanketed Moscow since the beginning of winter, which was 1.5 times above the climatic norm.

The snowfall, which continued in and around the capital until the early hours of Tuesday, brought Moscow's traffic to a virtual standstill.

The total length of traffic jams in the city reached 3,500 km, equal to the distance between Moscow and Madrid.

The snowfall also caused the delay of 155 flights, while 56 planes had to seek alternative landing sites.

Among them was that of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, which had to land in St. Petersburg.